Finally, the meeting
by La Vi3 bOh3M3
Summary: Izzie finally gets to meet her daughter, Hannah. Oneshot, set after Time After Time. AU. READ AND REVIEW!


A/N: Darn it, here I go again…writing a new fic when I have two unfinished ones. I couldn't help it though! Lol! This will most likely be a one shot, quick and cute. Read on and review! BTW, I don't remember Hannah's adoptive parents names, so I named them Jody and Blake! 

Summary: Izzie finally gets to meet her daughter, Hannah. Set sometime after 'Time After Time" AU.

Rating: T, just because it always is. ;)

Disclaimer: Clearly, NOT mine.

* * *

"Izzie, you will be fine." Meredith urged, hand on her anxious friends shoulder.

Izzie swallowed, trying to get rid of the nervous lump in her throat.

Today. Today was the day she finally going to meet her daughter, Hannah. After the small incident a couple days ago, where Hannah refused to let Izzie meet her, she finally agreed. Hannah's parents called Izzie and told her she was welcome in their home, right after Hannah's life saving surgery.

And now Meredith was driving Izzie over to their house, offering her words of comfort and reassurance.

"What if she doesn't like me? What if she hates me?" Izzie rambled.

"Relax, Iz, she won't. You're her mother." Meredith replied.

"No, see, the thing is, I'm really not. Jody is." Izzie argued.

"Okay, well you could spend the next 2 hours sitting here in my parked car, thinking up many horrible scenarios, or you could work up the courage and finally go meet your daughter." Meredith stated.

Izzie fell silent, as did Meredith. Finally, she spoke.

"You know its okay for you to want her to want you. And it's okay that you're scared. But you have to make the best of it."

Izzie closed her eyes, and leaned back into her seat. "I know."

"Alright, I'm ready." Izzie sat up, opened the car door, and grabbed the small present she had bought for Hannah.

Meredith reached out, grabbed her hand and smiled. "Good luck!" She stated. "I'll be back to pick you up in an hour…call if you need me sooner."

"Thanks." Izzie mumbled. "Bye."

Meredith watched Izzie walk up the driveway, and then the front steps, towards the cute, comfortably small house. Izzie reached up to ring the doorbell, but turned back to Meredith and shook her head, worriedly.

Meredith mouthed to her, "Go!" and gestured with her hands.

Izzie spun back around and finally rung the doorbell. 10 seconds later, the door opened, and Meredith backed down the drive. Izzie turned and waved to Meredith. Meredith smiled and shook her head good naturedly when she noticed Izzie looking sick to her stomach.

* * *

"Welcome, Dr. Stevens." Jody held open the door for Izzie and she shuffled into the house.

"Thank you for having me." She replied, clutching her jacket and the present in her fists.

"Well thank you for coming. Hannah is excited to meet you."

Izzie perked up when Jody said she was excited. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad after all.

"Oh, um, I have something for her." Izzie held the wrapped box out for Jody to take.

"That's so sweet of you, why don't you give it to her?" Jody smiled warmly, putting her hand on Izzie's arm. "She's in the living room with her father."

Izzie sighed and started to follow the older woman to the living room.

Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my GOD. Izzie's mind raced as she got closer and closer to where Hannah was.

And then, she saw her. Izzie had to bite her lip to keep from gasping. Her eyes filled with tears as she took in her daughter. She was beautiful; the spitting image of herself. Her blonde hair was just starting to grow back from the cancer therapy she had undergone, and it was styled in a cute bob, and her eyes were a light brown, the exact shape of Izzie's own.

"Hi. I'm Izzie." Izzie held out her hand to the girl. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hi, I'm Hannah." Hannah limply took Izzie's hand and returned the handshake.

"Oh, I brought you something." Izzie held it out for Hannah to take. Hannah's eyes lit up at the prospect of a present.

"Oh, thank you." Hannah put it aside, to open later. "Daddy?" She turned to her father, who had his arm protectively around her small frame.

"Yes, princess?"

"Can I talk to Ms. Izzie alone, please?"

"Oh, you can call me just Izzie." Izzie smiled.

"Okay." Hannah replied. "Daddy, please."

Blake looked at his wife in question. Jody nodded. "Alright." He sighed. "Let us know if you two need anything." The two adults left the room and Izzie sat down next to Hannah, keeping at least 3 feet in between them. Hopefully that gap would be closed by the time the hour was up.

"So how are you, Hannah?" Izzie questioned, awkwardly. She didn't know what else to ask.

"I'm good. Much better, thanks to your bone marrow. Thank you for that, by the way." Hannah replied.

"Anytime." Izzie smiled.

"Can I ask you a question, Izzie?" Hannah asked.

"Of course."

"Why did you give me up for adoption?"

Izzie knew it was coming. It was just a matter of time, but she never expected it so soon.

She wrung her hands nervously. "I just knew you needed a better home than I could give you, and real parents who could love you and care for you the right way." She explained. "Trust me; it was the most difficult day of my life." Izzie began to tear up at the memory. "I loved you the moment I saw you, and didn't want to give you up, but I had to. Please don't be angry with me…I would understand if you were, though."

Hannah bit her lip and studied her birth mother's sad face. She was a beautiful woman.

"I'm not. And you're really pretty." Hannah whispered.

Izzie wiped a tear from her face, and laughed. "Thanks, so are you."

"I'm glad you gave me up." Hannah started.

Izzie's face fell, and Hannah jumped to explain. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean that if you hadn't, I never would have had the chance to have 2 wonderful mothers, and a fantastic father."

Izzie smiled at her mention of '2 wonderful mothers.'

This was much easier than what Izzie had been expecting. She was expecting a road block, an uncomfortable, resistant Hannah, but what she got instead was an open young girl, willing to talk to the woman who gave her up because she was a mistake.

"I'm glad you agreed to meet me." Izzie said. 'And I'm hoping that after this, I can see you every once in a while if you're up for it, and your parents agree."

Hannah smiled, her eyes lighting up again. "I would love that. Mommy has been telling me that you're a surgeon. I'd like to become a doctor, too."

Izzie's heart melted. Her daughter wanted to follow in her footsteps, so to speak.

"I can bring you to the hospital, and you can meet my friends and everything!" Izzie babbled on excitedly.

She couldn't wait to have her daughter be a part of her life.

"I would like that." Hannah replied. 'I'll ask my parents."

"Sounds good."

An awkward silence followed until Hannah spoke.

"So…my mom told me you gave me another name, and that Hannah isn't my real name."

"Oh no, Hannah is your name. Sarah was just the name I wanted to name you." There was so use in confusing the girl.

"Why Sarah?" Hannah questioned.

"It was my mother's middle name. And she was my best friend, so I wanted to name you after her."

Hannah nodded and fell silent.

More awkward silence.

"So…Hannah, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Izzie asked.

"I love to paint. Painting is my thing"  
"Really? That's great!"

"Yeah! Would you like to see a painting I made of the lake in our backyard?"

Izzie nodded.

Hannah was always truly happy when she talked about painting and the works she had made.

She hopped off the couch and retrieved a canvas from the drawer behind them. She proudly displayed it in front of Izzie.

"Oh my god, that's beautiful, Hannah!"

The painting looked professionally done. With soft blues, greens, and pinks it perfectly captured what Izzie would imagine their lake to be like.

"Thank you!" She beamed.

"My friend Meredith likes to paint, too. Maybe once you meet her you guys can paint together."

"That would be fun!" The 11 year old gushed.

Hannah put the painting away and returned to the couch, sitting 2 feet from Izzie.

Izzie racked her brain for something to ask the girl.

"What's your favorite subject in school?"

"Oh that's an easy one. English, most definitely. Ms. Lewis told me my creative writing is 'phenomenal.'"

Izzie grinned at her daughter. She appeared to be a smart, creative little 11 year old girl. Izzie was proud and suddenly hit with emotion. She was so grateful to Hannah's adoptive parents for raising her daughter into such a bright, respectful girl.

"Why are you crying, Izzie?" Hannah asked worriedly.

Izzie laughed, and wiped her eyes. "I'm just happy to see how amazing you turned out to be."

Hannah blushed. "Thank you." She whispered. "Well what about you? I want to hear about your life, Izzie."

"Well, as you know, I"  
"Hannah." Jody and Blake returned, sorry to cut Izzie off. "It looks as if an hour's passed."

Izzie fell silent and looked at Hannah. "Sorry. Guess I'll have to finish next time." She smiled.

"Oh, mommy, daddy, please can she stay longer?" Hannah begged, standing up.

Jody looked at her daughter in surprise. She never expected her daughter to like Izzie, yet alone want more time with her. But she was happy. Happy she would have the chance to get to know her birth mother.

"No, no, its okay, Hannah. We'll finish next time." Izzie didn't want to intrude.

Hannah looked slightly upset. "Okay. Thanks for coming, Izzie." Hannah opened her arms for a hug.

Surprised, Izzie leaned into the small girl and hugged her tightly, trying not to cry again.

"It was really nice to meet you Hannah."

"Bye Izzie!" Hannah stayed back with her father while Jody walked Izzie to the door.

"Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity." Izzie thanked the woman, once they reached the front door. "You raised a wonderful girl, and I thank you for loving her."

"Thank you, Dr. Stevens, for coming. I really think she enjoyed it."

Izzie smiled and touched Jody's arm.

"Can I call you when Hannah wants to meet with you again? I think this will be good for her." Jody questioned.

Izzie jumped at the chance. "Anytime. Call anytime. I'd be glad to see her again."

"Alright, Izzie. We'll talk soon." Jody opened the door, and Izzie stepped out the house, waving goodbye. Jody shut the door and Izzie sat down on the steps to wait for Meredith.

Holy crap! Did that just happen? Izzie's mind raced and she struggled to come to terms with what had just happened. She had met Hannah. Her 11 year old daughter. She met her, got to know her a little bit, and from what she could tell, Hannah actually liked her. And they were going to meet again. Izzie was finally going to know her daughter. The empty spot in her heart that had been missing for 11 years had been filled. She was over the moon with happiness and relief, and she couldn't wait to tell Meredith how it went.

* * *

A/N: Okay, finished! I might continue, even though this was intended to be a one shot… you guys tell me! Please review, I also take criticism. How were Izzie and Hannah, character wise? Thanks for reading! 


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